News flash — millennials read print books! While everyone seems to be scanning ebooks and toting laptops, the under-30 crowd’s devotion to the printed word remains strong. So says a recent post by Page Two Strategies, a publishing agency that works with nonfiction authors. For those of us who’d like to see print and digital books peacefully coexist, this is heartening news. Here’s the evidence:
A 2014 research study by the Pew Research Center found that American readers under 30 are more likely to have read a book in the last week than Americans over 30.
When they do read books, millennials overwhelmingly choose print over electronic formats. According to another 2014 Pew study, 73 percent of 18-29 year-olds who read a book in the past year read a print book versus 37 percent who read an eBook.
US readers in the 18-to-29 age bracket choose printed books oover digital formats more often than any other age group. This group appears to attach inherent value to physical artifacts like books or vinyl records, which are also seeing a surge in popularity.
Book covers are a key factor influencing the appetite for print that under-30 readers exhibit. The act of reading a book in public conveys information about their preferences.
While the eBook market continues to grow, it’s not expanding at rates we saw prior to 2013. In the United States, eBooks have stabilized at about 30 percent of the market, and 20 percent in Canada.
It’s encouraging to know that love of print is alive and well. Write on!